Google bringing Android to cars with Open Auto Alliance

Google is to bring its Android operating system to motor vehicles thanks to its newly launched Open Auto Alliance initiative.

Launched in partnership with vehicle manufacturers Audi, General Motors (GM), Honda and Hyundai and chip-maker Nvidia, the idea is to accelerate Android innovation in the motorcar market.

By working together the ultimate aim is for vehicles and other Android-powered portable devices to communicate seamlessly so entering your car doesn't mean shutting yourself off from your connected world.

“Google has teamed up with automotive and technology leaders Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai and Nvidia to form the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA), a global alliance aimed at accelerating auto innovation with an approach that offers openness, customisation and scale”, said Patrick Brady, Director of Android Engineering at Google on the official blog.

"The worlds of consumer and automotive technologies have never been more closely aligned, and this alliance will only pave the way for faster innovation," said Ricky Hudi, head of Electronics Development at Audi. "Working toward a common ecosystems benefits driver safety above all."

Manufacturers have experimented with using Android in cars, with examples going back as far as 2010 but the plan is for the OAA to provide a much greater level of integration.

I'd rather they didn't as there's too much distracting idiots in cars even now. Swear to Allah, I saw a girl driving down the road with her phone in one hand looking at it but somehow holding the wheel while her other hand was putting on mascara.

I'd rather they didn't as there's too much distracting idiots in cars even now. Swear to Allah, I saw a girl driving down the road with her phone in one hand looking at it but somehow holding the wheel while her other hand was putting on mascara.

That Aussie tv advert in the NSFW topic kind of says it all.

Yep, even as a tech geek I must say all of this is so unnecessary. All I really need from a car is a Bluetooth connection that's not flaky. I can then stream my music from the phone to the car and control playback using the car's controls rather than fumble with the touchscreen while driving. That is all, the other stuff just distracts from driving.

If they want to implement some innovative new feature (a browser on your dashboard is NOT innovative) then I'd rather they do it using a phone as the interface rather than integrating technology that will become outdated into the dash.

Originally Posted by SnipsI'd rather they didn't as there's too much distracting idiots in cars even now. Swear to Allah, I saw a girl driving down the road with her phone in one hand looking at it but somehow holding the wheel while her other hand was putting on mascara.